Manual cartridge reloading tool



April 8, 19.58 J. B. SAWYER MANUAL CARTRIDGE RELOADING'TOOL Filed Feb. 19. 1954 jl ur y??? JEAN- a. .sAwrER.

29 f INVENTOR.

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\ 4 WORREL & HERZIG, k ,A By ATTORNEYS- 27/1 Z2 J 1 United States MANUAL CARTRIDGE RELOADING TooL [Jean Bi SawyeraSantaAna; Calif.,1 assignor to Weath- 1 erbys, Inc., South Gate, "Calif a corporation of Cali- 1.f0rnia U 1' Application February-19 1954,Serial No. 411,421

1 Claimi (cl. 85-43) utilization of, the, fingersto ,rnaintain abullet in predeten mined orientation with a1 cartridge 1 case inwhich-the bullet is to be scated; ;thus; entailing considerable risk of rinjury1 to. theqfingers of- 1the-1individual: operating the reloading tool since considerable pressure must be exerted 1 tron the-j1cartridge case and the bullet to drive-the1 bullet into1 the1jlneck ofw the :cartridge case and since there is alwaystthe possibility than: the 1 cartridge, case may slip 1 from thetcartridge holderor-tthe bullet slipfrom the bulletseating die with resultanb'injury to the fingers holding .thetbullet; inplaceahovethe neck of the cartridge case. It.is,j therefore, an objectoi? my; invention to provide 1. a cartridge case, reloading tool which eliminates the danger ofzfinjuryr to they fingers of; theindividual utilizing the tool. since the bulletcan be readilyinserted in the tool 1 and maintained in a proper orientation with. respect to .thexcartridgecasein which it is to be driven without the necessity for:maintaining it inithe proper orientation with :.=the fingers. 1 1 I An additionalobjectof my, invention is the provision, in1a bullet-seating die, of :means, for completely supporting a ballet which is to be inserted into a cartridge case, 1

in suchamanner as to prevent misalignment of the bullet withithecartridge case, thuspreyenting damage to the mouth of the: cartridge; caserand preventingseating of the 1 bullet: at1 a11"ofiset ,-angle to11the longitudinalaxis of the scartridge case'rwhich would cause inaccuracyrof the re- 11Another object of my; invention is the provision of a tool of the aforementioned character in whichthe bullet seating die. includes an elongated, axial bore; and said bore has a transverse hullet insertion openingcommunicating therewith and'rformed jinathe Wall of theydie to permit a bullet to be inserted into said bore. 1

An additionalobject ofvmy; invention is the provision of a cartridge reloading tool of the aforementioned char- 1 acter whichincludes a bullet :receiving guide,1said guide being-provided with anifaxiali bore adaptedto receive a tionopening in the wall of the bullet seating-die.

Another object of my invention is the provision in a tool of theaforementionedcharacter of a bullet guide 1 "which is provided with a bullet receiving opening in a 1 wall thereof, said bullet receiving, opening being regis- 1 terable with thetbullet insertionf opening 'in the bullet 1 i seating die to permit the-insertion of aj-bullet into the bore of the guide. a

additionalobject of my .inventioiristhe provision g Patented Apr. 8, 1958 ,ofa tool 0f the aforementioned character in which ,the aforesaid bullet guide is provided with a I viewing pe ingin the,wall thereof, said viewingopening being disposedpelpw the bullet receivingopening therein and being 10; V I i the ullet receiving openingv therein is juxtaposed to the bnllet insertion opening in the wall of the bnllet seating 3 dieanrl a second, 11uppern1ost positionin which the aforemovable into re gistry with the bullet. insertion opening in the wall of the bullet seating die.

A-- further object :of my invention is the .provision of a tool of the aforementioned character in which Qthe bullet guide is slidably movable inthe horeof the bullet seating diqhetween aiirst, lowermost. position in which bn l let insertion opening in 5 the bullet seating die.

It-1- is apparent, 1therefore, that ,by, providing a bullet gnide -ior the. reception of the btilletto lbeidrivenhinto -1 the neclc ofi awcartridge case it ispossible to elirn inate the necesisty for maintaining the 1bt llet between: thelcartr idge case and the bullet seatingdie,1thus,,foresta1ling th e possibility of injury to the fing ers of theoperator .of -the tool. t. Furthermore,- since the bullet. is adequately 1 supported Linthe bullet .guide, 1 the proper orientation 1 .of he b llet with respectto thQlOIlgiilldiilQl axis of the cartri ge, is .maintained, .thus eliminating: the, possibilitygof improperly inserting. the bulletin tlieneck of the cartridge.

Of importance also, is the faetthat1theprovisiona the yiewing.opening in the bullet guide fpermits the operatorof the tool todetermine whethenthehullet is being properly driven. intothe neckof the, shellgwhile the1 operation is takingplace, and. whetherjthe bullet is being 1 nserted .to the proper {depth into 1 11b 1 cartridge case; all

W t su s siri f v t e ss t id t i sbil seatingdie.

Ot her objects and advantages. oftmy invention wilLbe apparent ,fr om,1,the.following specification. and the. accompanying drawing which is for the purpo se of illustration ,only and in which: v

.., Fig. 1 is perspecnve view showing a conventional Hcaitridgereldading tool with a bullet seating are, constru c ted in accordance with the. principles of my inven- .tion installed therein;

Fig 2 is a vertical, sectional view tal en on the hgroken ...the .b rokenline 3-.3 of Fig. 2; 1

,l Fig. .3 is a transverse, partly sectional view talgenfirom 5 Fig, 4 is a. vertical, sectionaLvie similargto Fig. 2

1 exception that the cartridge case andhnlletignide 1 ths oh n are shown as disposed in the second, uppermost ;position Fi'g. 5 isan sornetric .view of a bullet guide incorporated ,injfthe. cartridge reloading] tool ofrny invention.

l R eferring tothe drawing and particularly to Figs.1 l -4 thereof, I.show aconventional cartridge reloading tpol 1 it), in order to illustrate use: of myfinvention, and ineluding a frame 12,'said frame incorporating a; base 13 ,Q adapted to be secured to table or workbench and said base, having formed integrally therewith an angularly bullet inserted thereinto from the aforementioned inser- 1 oriented yoke 14. l

The yoke 14 includes upper and lower mounting arms 1 1 6, respectively, whichdefine the rebetween a cartridgereceiving space 18 which permits a cartridge case 20 to be inserted into the tool 10.

Asubstantiallycylindrical cartridge holder 22 is slidably .mounted in a boreprovid'ed in the lower mounting arm ...and is.actuable by actu ating means 24 disposed in a slot 25 in the mounting arm 16. The cartridge holder 122 isprovided at its uppermost end, as best shown in 1-iigs. 2,and 4. of the drawing,,1with a semi-annular flange 27 saidflange being adapted to receive .theend ofthe .cartridge case ltl and to retain it on the cartridge holder 22 during 1 pward movement of the cartridge, case. 20

on the cartridge holder 22 as caused by the energization of the actuating means 24.

A threaded bore 29 is provided in the upper mounting arm for the reception of the threaded lowermost end 31 of an elongated bullet seating die and mounting means 32. The threaded engagement of the lowermost end 31 of the bullet seating die 32 with the threaded bore 29 of the upper mounting arm 15 permits the lowermost end of the bullet seating die 32 to be adjusted with respect to the upper end of the cartridge holder 22 so that the cartridge case mounted thereupon may be driven into the bullet seating die 32 to the extent necessary to accomplish the proper bullet seating operation thereof. Therefore, when the bullet seating die 32 is threadedly engaged in the bore 29, it is urged downwardly until the lowermost end thereof is juxtaposed to the uppermost end of the cartridge holder 22 when the cartridge holder 22 is in its uppermost position, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. When so located, a hexagonal nut 33 is driven into engagement with the adjacent surface of the upper mounting arm 15 to lock the bullet seating die 32 in its adjusted position.

The bullet seating die 32 is, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing, provided with an elongated bore 35, the lower portion of which serves as a guide for the cartridge case 20, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. A transverse bullet insertion opening 36 is provided in the wall of the bullet seating die 32, said opening permitting the insertion of a bullet 37 into the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32.

Slidably mounted for movement in the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32 is a bullet guide 40, said guide being generally cylindrical in cross-sectional configuration and providing a bullet receiving bore 41. A bullet receiving opening or slot 43 is provided in the upper end of the bullet guide 40 which is registered with the bullet insertion opening 36 in the wall of the bullet seating die 32 when the bullet guide 40 is located in a first, lowermost position in the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32, best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. When the bullet guide 40 is located in the aforesaid first, lowermost position, a bullet 37 can be easily inserted through the bullet insertion opening 36 and the bullet receiving opening 43 to locate the bullet 37 in the bore 41 of the guide 40. However, when the guide 40 is shifted upwardly into a second, uppermost position, best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the bullet receiving opening 43 is moved upwardly and the bullet 37 is encompassed by the wall of the guide 40 to prevent lateral mislocation thereof as the bullet is driven into the neck of the cartridge case 20, in a manner to be described in greater detail below.

To facilitate the insertion of the bullet 37 in the neck of the cartridge case 20, a viewing opening or orifice 45 is provided in the wall of the bullet guide 40 immediately below the bullet receiving slot or opening 43 therein, the bullet viewing opening 45 being registerable with the bullet insertion opening in the bullet seating die 32 when the guide 40 is located in the second, uppermost position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Therefore, the operator of the tool is able to follow the insertion of the bullet 37 in the neck of the cartridge case 20 to make sure that the bullet 37 is properly oriented with respect to the neck of said cartridge case and thus prevent mislocation of said bullet with respect to said cartridge case. Furthermore, the provision of the bullet viewing opening 45 also permits the operator to determine the depth to which the bullet 37 will be driven into the neck of the cartridge case 20.

It should be noted that the opening 45 is a relatively narrow opening so that the bullet 37 is practically completely encompassed by the wall of the bullet guide 40 when the bullet guide is disposed in the second, uppermost position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing to prevent lateral movement of the bullet 37 and insure proper location thereof in the cartridge case 21).

The lowermost end of the bullet receiving bore 41 of the bullet guide as is counterhored, as at 47, to receive the neck of the cartridge case 20, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Therefore, the counterbore at 47 serves to locate said neck with respect to the lower end of a bullet 37 to be driven into said .neck.

.The bullet guide is supported within the elongated bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32 by means of a set screw said set screw having its innermost end 51 located in an elongated slot 53 formed in the guide 40 and extending from one end to the other of said guide. Therefore, when the cartridge holder 22 is moved upwardly by the action of the actuating means 24 to carry the cartridge case 20 upwardly into the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32, the neck of said cartridge case enters the counterbore at 47 and subsequent movement of the cartridge case causes upward translation of the bullet receiving guide 40 to carry the guide upwardly into a position in which the bullet is encompassed by the wall of the guide 40, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and to register the viewing opening in the: guide with the bullet insertion opening 36 in the bullet seating die 32.

The diameter of the bullet receiving bore 4-1 of the bullet guide 40 is substantially equivalent to the major diameter of the bullet 37 so that the bullet 37 is accurately located with respect to the neck of the cartridge case 20 to facilitate the insertion of the bullet 37 in. said neck.

Suspended in the upper end of the bore 35 of the: bullet seating die 32 is a bullet seating plug 56 which is provided with a threaded periphery S7 engageable in a threaded portion 59 at the upper end of the bore 35. A frusto-conical recess 61 is provided in the lowermost end of the bullet seating plug 56 and is adapted to receive the nose of the bullet 37 to urge the lower end of the bullet into seating relation with the neck of the cartridge case 20, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The bullet seating plug 56 is adjustable in the threaded portion 59 of the bore 35 to permit it to be raised or lowered to accomplish the desired depth of seat of the bullet 37 in the neck of the cartridge case 20.

A hexagonal nut 63 is provided which prevents the bullet seating plug 56 from being inadvertently moved out of adjustment after the desired point of adjustment has been attained. The periphery of the bullet seating plug 56 is spaced from the wall of the bore 35 in the the bullet seating die 32 in its adjusted position.

bullet seating die 32, the space defined therebetween being adapted to receive the upper end of the bullet guide 40, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, when the bullet guide 40 is moved into the second, uppermost position by the upward movement of the cartridge case 23 as caused by the upward movement of the cartridge holder 22.

Also mounted on the frame 12 are means 65 for feeding primers to the cartridge case prior to the loading of the cartridge case 23 with powder.

The manner in which the reloading tool is used, utiliz-' ing my invention, is as follows:

The bullet seating die 32 is installed in the upper mounting arm 15 of the yoke 14 and rotated to carry it downwardly in the threaded bore 29 in the upper mounting arm 15 until the bottom end of the bullet seating die 32 barely meets the top end of the cartridge holder 22 when the cartridge holder is at the top of its stroke. The hex nut 33 is then tightened to maintain The bullet guide 40 is then inserted in the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32 from the lower end thereof and the set screw is rotated to urge the innermost end 51 thereof into engagement with the elongated retention slot 53 in the bullet guide 40. The cartridge case 20, which has been resized, primed, and filled with the proper amount of powder, is then placed on the cartridge holder 22 and the actuating means 24 energized to permit the neck of the cartridge case 20 to engage the counterbore at 47 in the lower end of the bullet guide 40. A bullet 37 is then inserted through the bullet insertion opening 36 and the bullet receiving opening 43 to locate the bullet in the bullet receiving bore 41 in the bullet guide 40.

40, the desired seating depth of the bullet.37 in the neck of the cartridge case may be obtained. This is accomplished by adjusting the bullet seating plug 56 in the upper end of the bore 35 of the bullet seating die 32.

After the adjustment of the bullet seating plug 56 has been accomplished, the hexagonal nut 63 can be utilized to lock the bullet seating plug 56 in adjusted position. No other adjustments of the tool 10 are necessary during the future utilization of the tool unless a different type or weight of bullet is used. 7

Since the bullets 37 are fed directly into the bullet guide 40 and since the bullets 37 are entirely supported by the bullet guide when the bullet guide is moved into the second, uppermost position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, there is no necessity for'supporting the bullet with the fingers and injury incidental to the use of prior art devices is eliminated. Since the counterbore at 47 and the bullet guide 40 fits tightly over the neck of the cartridge case, said case 20 and the bullet are maintained in axial alignment thus causing seating of the bullet 37 in the neck of the cartridge case 20 with no possibility of deforming the neck or seating the bullet 37 in the neck of the cartridge case 20 at an angle.

Furthermore, the provision of the viewing opening 45 in the bullet guide 40 permits visual inspection of both the bullet and the neck of the cartridge case 20 when the bullet 37 is seated in the neck of said cartridge case and also permits rapid adjustment of the seating depth without removing the cartridge case 20 from the bullet guide 40 or the bullet seating die 32. Moreover, the

bullet seating die may be utilized for a plurality of cartridges of similar size by merely changing the bullet guide and thus one bullet seating die. can be utilized to reload a large number of similar cartridge cases 20.

Although I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not intend to limit the invention thereto since modifications of the details of the invention may be made which will, nevertheless, fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a manually operable tool for reloading spent ammunition, the combination of: an elongated mounting member having an axial bore therein for tightly fitting around the outside wall of a cartridge case, said member having an opening in a side wall thereof at least as long as a bullet for the sidewise insertion of a bullet into said bore; a bullet guide slidable in said bore by a cartridge case, said guide having a lateral slot therein for the sidewise reception therein of a bullet passed through said member communicating with said opening when said guide is disposed in a first lowermost position in said bore retention means on said guide operatively connected to retention meanson said member to prevent its being displaced from said bore, said guide having an axial bullet receiving bore for tightly fitting around the surface of the bullet, said guide having a viewing orifice therein registerable with said opening when said guide is in a second, uppermost position in said bore for visually inspecting the position of both a bullet and the neck of the cartridge; and a bullet seating plug in said bore above said guide for urging said bullet into the neck of said cartridge case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

